do your coworkers think youre straight, and then show what they really think about gays?

Answer 1

I'm an "out" gay man, but don't show any of the outwardly-recognizable stereotypical gay behavior, so most people are shocked to find that I am gay. I had to take a job for a few months at a Garage, one of the least gay-friendly types of environments, so I kept my sexuality to myself for my own protection. And let me tell you... these guys threw around the words "f-a-g" and "queer" (among many others) like it was just another word. It always bothered me that the biggest insult they used to cal leach other was f-a-g-g-o-t. I never really had to deal with it myself thankfully (I work in theatre now, much less hostile LOL) but I can guarantee that if they found out I would either have been beaten up in the parking lot after work while the boss watched, or at least ruthlessly harassed.

Answer 2

In general, very few people I have worked with ever say anything derogatory about any minority group while at work. It's a good way to lose their jobs. Some give subtle hints about people who are openly out, but nothing outrightly nasty. Sometimes there is an expression of surprise if someone is gay or lesbian. I think younger workers are more likely to say something nasty though in the workplace, just because of inexperience.

At work, I doubt that anyone knows what my true orientation is.

Answer 3

Nope. My place of employment really varies from openly GLBT people to extremely ignorant homophobes. I'm very out at work and the comments about the GLBT community stopped when the bosses cracked down on what little was being said. No one was attacking the community, but some of the little things like "That's gay." stopped.

Answer 4

Yeah, I've been there, done that. Especially where I go to school at. There was this girl (though she's gone now, thank God) and she used to make such nasty comments about gay people. One day I got so fed up, I walked out of class. Later that afternoon, she tracked me down and apologized. Her apology was noble, but then she messed up by saying:
"I'm really sorry, if I offended you earlier, I didn't know you were like that."
My first thought was, like what? What am I like? Oh, she must have meant she didn't know I was GAY.
Then she goes on to say, "I don't have a problem with gay people at all."
Why do people always make a comment like that after they've said something nasty? Just like another girl here who said something about black people, then tried to apologizing and adding "I don't have a problem with black people."
That right there, let's me *FURTHER* know how huge your problem really is.

Answer 5

I worked at a catholic institution, and never disclosed that I'm a lesbian since it would have cost me my job. However, I don't think I pass, or made any effort to pass. My coworkers were in denial about it, though.
Every so often I'd hear homophobic comments. I took them with a grain of salt. Sometimes you just have to be thick-skinned

Answer 6

I am out at work, but I was in a meeting with some guys that didn't know I was gay. One of them told an anti-gay joke, and the others laughed their head off. I said "I am a gay man, and I find your humor highly offensive in the workplace". At first they thought I was joking, but after I persisted, they shut up and red-faced apologized. I'm quite sure later they got together to poke fun at me; but my point was made, and I'm equally sure they didn't make that kind of joke again in the workplace.

Answer 7

I have worked in offices before where not everyone knew I was lesbian, and yeah, some of them made nasty comments. where I work now, though, is a very diverse office (gay/lesbian, black, white, latina, asian) there used to be FIVE of us (2 guys, 3 gals) that are gay. 2 other gals have left. we are all out and the office is very much accepting. I'm pretty lucky to be working in such an office.

Answer 8

They do think I'm straight, but never show any emotions or reactions towards gays at all

Answer 9

I never hear any gay jokes or bad things said about gays in general at work. Only in Church.
Usually by the closet-gay pedophile priests and the gossipping back stabbing bithces who can't understand why they can't get "preistly action ".

Answer 10

The ones that get me are the ones that brag about how many gay friends they have in front of a gay co-worker, then talk about them behind their backs and put them down to other co-workers.